THE DARK PASSAGES THAT LEAD TO NO WHERE

Xena looked up slightly meeting Xochipilli's gaze. "Yes he said something about it." She lowered her gaze slightly. "Do you know what it is?" Xochipilli looked down slightly. "I know about it but I'm not the person who knows everything, but I know some one who does." He looked up slightly watching Xochiquetzal's bed room door opened. He breathed in deeply watching as his sister stepped out closely followed by a taller woman with her red and black clothing. He stood up slowly folding his arms he didn't even need to look twice to know who it was. He had sensed her presence last night he had made up his mind not to interrupt them both since they no doubt had an awful lot to talk about.

Chantico had finally returned to the place were she belonged after all this time, and apart from the scars she was no different from what he remembered. "I believe Xochiquetzal can answer that question." Xena stood up slightly watching as Itzli came to stand next to her as the fertility goddess came to stop in front of her. Xochipilli narrowed his gaze. "Good morning, I do hope you both slept well." Xochiquetzal turned hearing the venom in his voice. "Now is not the time for this!" Xochipilli breathed in deeply. "You now what's happened don't you? I told you this would happen, didn't I? Do you have any idea what you've done!?" Xochiquetzal turned sharply. "I know what I've done! I'm here now to put it right!"

Xena felt her gaze dart as she caught sight of the dragon tattoo on the fertility goddess's back and the pendent still around her neck. The realisation hit her all too suddenly. The pendent Gabrielle had been wearing around her neck before her death wasn't the fertility goddess's it had been different. It had, had the sunstone image carved in to it. She stepped back as the goddess raised her hand to her she felt the cold sneer as it spread across her lips. "You didn't help Gabrielle did you?" Xochipilli breathed in sharply ignoring Chantico's look of confusion. "No she didn't, she turned her away, despite that your lover begged for her help. Her act meant that Gabrielle had no choice but to go to Huitzilopochtli."

Chantico took a step forward before Xochiquetzal could speak. "Who the hell is Gabrielle!?" Xochiquetzal breathed in sharply feeling Xena's cold gaze burn in to her. "She's the Blood Jaguar." Chantico took a step forward so she in front of the tall dark haired woman with burnt gold armour and light blue eyes. "Then that would make you the Warrior Princess wouldn't it?" Xochipilli turned eyeing her. "You know going in to hiding has done nothing for your manners has it?" Xena eyed the tall goddess for a long moment only to feel herself freeze on the spot as their eyes met. All she could see was eyes which were the same colour as her lover's staring back at her. She found herself taking a step back as every nerve in body fired all at once and the pain hit her chest again. "Get away from me! What is this sick little joke? How dare you come in front of me with her eye colour?"

Xochiquetzal didn't think as she quickly pushed the fire goddess back she already knew the reason for that reaction and she could feel the hurt which the Warrior Princess was hiding she eyed the taller goddess for a long moment. "It's nothing personal Chantico, you remind her of the Blood Jaguar because you both have the same eye colour." Chantico took a slow step back she sneered slightly meeting the ice cold blue eyes. "You know I was born with this eye colour I'm sorry if it offends you!" Xena turned feeling the anger as it started to boil up all at once. She eyed Xochiquetzal not bothering to hide her disgust. "You sent my lover to her death! I swear to the gods if you were mortal I'd cut you up in to little pieces and send you to Tartarus in a reed basket, you bitch!" Chantico snarled as her hand suddenly filled with flames as she eyed the Warrior Princess. "You know I'll be the first to cut you up if you try that Warrior Princess!" Xena didn't think as she gently handed Gabrielle's skull to Itzli as pulled her sword free of the scabbard feeling an evil grin spread across her face. "Come and get some!"

"Stop this please!"

Xochiquetzal didn't think as she moved in between them she watched Chantico snarled aloud she slowly met her gaze. "Please Chantico." She watched as the goddess of fire stepped back the flames fading from her hand. She turned to Xena who narrowed her gaze. "I did you a terrible wrong Xena and I'm so sorry." She lowered her gaze. "I sent Gabrielle to her death because I wanted to make her suffer, because I was suffering." She took a step forward seeing that the tall woman didn't move her sword. "I felt her die in my minds eye I even saw how she died. I saw it because of the tattoo I took from her it was the one of the worst moments I've ever lived because I knew then, that you would go through what she was going through."

She slowly took hold of the blade putting it against her mid section. "Your right Xena, I do deserve Tartarus." She pushed herself in to the blade ignoring her brother's stunned surprise and Chantico's. Mortal weapons couldn't kill her but no god would ever freely force one in to themselves, she ignored the twinge as she stepped forward feeling the weapon go through her back. She watched as Xena looked up sharply her ice cold gaze meeting her own. "The sword that stabbed her should have been put through me." She came closer keeping her gaze fixed with Xena's. "I wish all her pain had been mine, all I feel is regret, regret that I turned her way. Regret that you have to suffer and regret that she is now in Huitzilopochtli's hands."

She slowly raised her hand to Xena's face. "Please let me help you, we know how to save her." Xena snarled aloud trying to control her self, she wanted to cry but she wasn't going to give the goddess the pleasure of seeing her tears. Gabrielle had said that she would never take Huitzilopochtli's offer but it seemed all to clear now that she'd had no choice. She sneered slightly moving away from her hand as it came closer to her face. "What has that bastard Huitzilopochtli done with her soul?" Xochiquetzal looked down at the sword which was still embedded in her mid section. "She ascended in to his hummingbird heaven, which means that he will no doubt resurrect her again."

She looked down slightly as she eased her hand back. "You can't feel her anymore can you?" Xena pulled the sword free in a violent motion as she stepped back. "No I can't!" Xochiquetzal looked at her for a long moment. "He's separated you from her permanently, I can feel it." Xochipilli breathed in deeply as he met her gaze. "As I said he would, it's not just that Xena can't feel her, she's not able to!" He eased out his hand. "Even if Gabrielle was resurrected at this moment and standing here in front of us they'd have no connection to each other. He's sliced them apart completely and I'll bet he did it on purpose because he claims to be in love with her!" Xena raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean he's in love with her? She never mentioned that to me!"

Itzli moved forward putting a hand on her shoulder. "She has no love for him Xena, she would never take his offer she didn't when it was offered the first time around and I doubt she took it this time around. I believe that she thought he would resurrect her after her death as she was before she died." He snarled aloud. "I know now that he would not do that, he's become very dishonourable." He breathed in sharply. "He told me if her last order was to save you that I should not follow it and let you die." Xena eyed him for a long moment she slowly eased her sword back in to its scabbard as she gently eased the skull from his hands. She could see the truth in his eyes and she knew that Gabrielle wouldn't have taken his offer she said that she never would.

If Huitzilopochtli was anything like Ares he'd just manipulate the situation regardless and try and make Gabrielle his with out her consent. She snarled aloud the thought of some scum bag god touching her made her sick to the stomach. Everything now made sense the green flames, her ascension and the fact that she could no longer feel her. Xochiquetzal stepped forward. "The body that Huitzilopochtli will put her in will be an identical copy of her own. She'll be one of his hummingbird warriors with out a doubt. These warriors can change forms from men to hummingbirds in the blink of an eye and back again." Xochipilli took a step forward. "She won't know any better because he has no doubt already stripped her off all her memories."

Xochiquetzal looked up sharply. "We can save her though with that skull in your hands. There is a way of rebinding her soul to it. There's a special ritual in which we cover the skull in jade patterns, these sacred patterns will help you trap her. She can't run from her true self her skull is the cradle of her existence." Xena slowly took a step back. "I need time to think." She turned sharply not bothering to look around, her mind was full of too many things and she needed to sit and think about all them away from everyone else. She turned sharply. "Itzli!" She watched as he turned to follow her as she walked towards the keeps steps which led outside. This whole thing disgusted her, not only was her lover alive but she was in the hands of some bastard war god! She took a deep breath, she wanted to break something again all she could feel was the anger and the intense pain in her chest. She felt her hand form a fist as she breathed in sharply she had to get a hold of her self.

8

Gabrielle looked up meeting the tall man's amber gaze as she sat herself down on the bed. "Who was that man My Lord?" Huitzilopochtli turned slightly as he sat down next to her. "A Greek god who you should pay no mind to, you should not listen to anything he tells you he is full of lies and deception." Gabrielle looked down slightly. "What is a lie My Lord?" Huitzilopochtli breathed in deeply. "It's a mistruth and he is a bad person full of mistruths." Gabrielle slowly eased the head dress off. "Are you a bad person My Lord?" Huitzilopochtli slowly eased up his hand running it through her hair. "No, I'm a good person my name is Huitzilopochtli, I resurrected you because I love you so much." Gabrielle looked up sharply. "Why don't I remember that you love me?"

Huitzilopochtli shook his head slightly. "When people die they forget, you've just forgotten that's all." He moved his fingers slowly down her arm as he eased his headdress free. "I'll help you remember everything in time." He slowly eased up his fingers stroking her face. "You died such a noble death, and you ascended in to my heaven. My whole heavenly army was able to descend up on our enemy's city because of your actions." He leaned closer breathing in the smell of her hair. "You are the bravest warrior I know and I have always loved you for your bravery. There is no other like you, not in heaven or earth Gabrielle." He eased up her long blonde hair letting it spill through his fingers. "You are truly unique." Gabrielle looked at him slightly unsure of what to say.

His words were so kind and yet something didn't seem right in all this, she looked at her skin for a moment before looking at him. "Why don't I look like you, my skin my eye colour and my hair are different?" Huitzilopochtli grinned slightly. "You are not from this land you came here from a distant land because you were exploring the world. It is just that you found your place here by my side." He moved a little closer to her, oh he had been dreaming of this moment for so long. "If you allow me to kiss you, you might remember." He watched as her blazing green eyes studied him for a moment, he had no intention of forcing her in any way. He wanted her to feel love, he didn't care how long he had to wait he would take this one step at a time.

He didn't want to just take her to bed ether she wasn't one of his priestess's he wanted to make love to her when she was good and ready and for her to enjoy every moment of it. The Warrior Princess was probably dead anyway, so as far as he was concerned she was his and she would live with him until the end of time. Gabrielle looked up slightly maybe she would remember, she leaned in gently meeting the taller mans lips closing her eyes. Huitzilopochtli breathed in deeply enjoying the sensation it was so much like he'd imagined so soft and so full of feeling. It sent sparks through every part of his body, all at once and he didn't want it stop.

The Warrior Princess was such a fool for never appreciating this, how could anyone not want this?! He pulled her closer feeling the kiss deepen further as she responded to his kiss he had brought her back perfectly. She still knew how to love he just had to work at drawing her in over time, so that she'd want nothing else. He felt her pull away slowly, he breathed in deeply as he moved his hands up running them through her hair. "You have a truly beautiful kiss." Gabrielle blinked pulling back it was a nice feeling to be kissed by this man. She could feel the slight heat in her cheeks and another odd sensation which was travelling down her stomach.

She couldn't really explain it she knew what to love was, she knew what to make love meant and to be turned on. Yet she couldn't ever remember having any of these sensations before today. Huitzilopochtli was attractive and she knew that she liked looking at him she just wished that she knew more everything was still so disjointed. Huitzilopochtli moved his hand downwards across her face there was a still an issue though. He knew she liked both genders he'd seen it in her soul, when he'd resurrected her. He just wasn't sure which gender she was more likely to swing to, maybe he could work something out in the future. It wasn't like she could get pregnant with the other gender.

So long as she took no emotional interest in them and they didn't take interest in her, he didn't care. Her being with the Warrior Princess may have just been all about the carnal realise at the end of the day and just the primal side of her nature wanting that preference. It wasn't like he hadn't had two women in his bed before. He moved forward gently kissing her lips again still he didn't have to bother himself with this now, they'd cross that bridge when they came to it. Right now he just wanted to work on her getting to know him better and trusting him. He didn't want her under any pressure ether until she was fully settled in and happy with in herself.

8

Quetzalcoatl flapped his wings through the air watching as world moved past, he had to get back to his city now. He turned seeing that Manaia was still following him. May be he'd get what he wanted as soon as he'd captured the Greek god of war, he had enjoyed the last time that they'd had been together in his bedchamber. He slowly down in flight he could smell something drifting through the air, it was the beautiful smell of death. His gaze turned sharply seeing smoke bellowing up in the distance. He suddenly felt the joy pass as the realization hit home that it was Tezcatlipoca city. He hated his half brother he'd hated him from the beginning, despite this though he'd always had his loyalty.

He was Mixcoatl's other son before him, not that any one knew that. Due to his fathers utter disgust of his half brother he had refused to even acknowledge him as his son, in any way shape or form. Despite that they had always been rivals he had always felt a sense of pity for his weaker half brother because of his fathers actions. Tezcatlipoca had never had Mixcoatl's love he had been shunned from the beginning because of his evil nature. Unlike him he had seen all that his father could offer. Until he had been given the same treatment after he'd forced his way on to the throne as king of the gods and pushed his father out of it for good.

He flicked out his tongue that was the will of the world though the old always stepped down for the young. Mixcoatl had been getting old, his ways were also getting weak. He believed in fair rules and was starting to turn a more gentle way of ruling which made him pathetic. He had just seen his opportunity and taken it and his father hadn't been able to stop him. He moved in flight turning towards the city which came slowly in to view. He was not one for fear but he could feel a twinge of it going through him now, no one had ever defeated his brother. Yet in this moment something told him that something truly terrible had happened. He stopped in mid flight hovering over the huge city which he could now see perfectly in the sun light.

He turned seeing Manaia look downwards his eyes showing their shock. Quetzalcoatl looked down his brothers city was filled with smoke which bellowed upwards creating black clouds in the sky high above. The main streets had been cracked in five places, he could see smashed buildings and dead bodies off living warriors scattered all around, as well as the still twitching bones of skeleton warriors who had been torn apart.

The bones of two of his brothers huge animals lay in burning flames, one lay close to the main temple the other which was a huge snake lay half burnt in the cities centre. The place was empty as empty as the dead graveyards at the bottom of some of the under world goddess's temples. He could see food and drink spilled all over ground and weapons on the floor, there had been a huge raid here. He turned sharply seeing another huge dead monster bellow. He didn't need to look to know that it was Cipactli he had vivid memories of him. The monster god had once tried to eat him, not that he'd succeeded but it had always left a lasting memory. Enough to make him happy to see the bastard locked up forever in his half brother's stone prison.

The monster god had been his bothers prize which he'd always kept under the city. He narrowed his gaze as he caught sight of a figure crawling away from the dead monster god it was moving slowly. He didn't think as he flew downwards watching as Manaia followed him, his gold eyes looking at the damage with many mixed emotions. He felt his body as it slammed in to the floor he heard the other god land behind him. He moved towards the crawling form of his brother who carried on crawling. He could see the half healed cut wounds all over his body and the muscle showing through on both his back and shoulders. Someone had, had fun that was certain.

He roared as he grabbed hold of his brother's tail with his clawed fingers yanking him towards him. "Well it would seem that you have some how failed my brother!" Tezcatlipoca felt the sudden pain as the clawed fingers turned him over on his back. Her felt his body freeze in terror as he met Quetzalcoatl's burning gaze. This was a nightmare, he was in front of the one person he feared more than anyone and he wasn't strong enough to fight back nor was he able. He felt intense pain all over his body as he tried to crawl away. "Please don't kill me!" Quetzalcoatl sneered slightly he didn't think as he smashed his clawed fingers in to the jaguar gods face watching as the blood flew through his teeth. "You're doing perfectly fine with that! It doesn't seem that you need my help!"

Tezcatlipoca raised a clawed hand painfully. "Listen to me brother." Quetzalcoatl snarled aloud narrowing his gaze. "What is our agreement, yes now let me think. Oh yes your region is in front of mine for what reason? Oh now I remember, so you can protect me!" He roared aloud as he leaned forward so his jaws were close to his brother's face. "So tell me brother, why is your city now a burning wreck!?" Tezcatlipoca swallowed. "It was the Blood Jaguar she started it!" Quetzalcoatl didn't think as he hit him again ignoring his cry of pain. "You're telling me that, that little bitch burnt down your city!?" Tezcatlipoca looked up sharply. "She had help! Huitzilopochtli and Chantico they both destroyed my city." Quetzalcoatl leaned even closer. "Your not going tell me that, that lesser goddess is the one who did this to you are you brother!?"

Tezcatlipoca didn't dare move, maybe if his younger brother thought he was pitiful he wouldn't kill him. Quetzalcoatl snarled aloud. "She did, didn't she? You got kicked around by a pitiful lesser goddess your a pathetic worthless bastard!" He pulled back sharply. "I told you no good would come of stealing things from Chantico didn't I brother?" He breathed in deeply feeling a cruel smile form. "Perhaps I should amuse myself by finishing off what she started." He didn't think as he wrapped his tail around his brother dragging him violently in to the air ignoring his roar of pain. "What do you say?" Manaia moved forward raising his clawed fingers. "I am sure that he would still be necessary for other things."

He hadn't liked any off this, it awful he was surrounded by blood and death and he didn't want to see any more. This burning city was awful and he wanted to leave it. "He is your brother does that not make his life worth something?" Quetzalcoatl turned slightly eyeing Tezcatlipoca. "Manaia has a point your worthless hide might still have a use." He didn't think as he threw him full force watching as he smashed against the nearest building, only to slam in to the floor. "Your death wouldn't be interesting…torturing you for eternality would be more pleasing." He moved towards his fallen brother who looked up painfully. "Believe me when I say it'll be a unique torture just for you my brother."

He turned grabbing a mortal's dead body of the floor he bit down hearing the bones crack. He was so thirsty it felt like bliss as the blood swept in to his mouth it was replaced with disgust in an instant. He didn't think as he spat out the carcass instantly and the blood along with it. It tasted vile it was coagulated. He couldn't stand coagulated blood it was the most disgusting thing ever and he couldn't drink it! He didn't think as he brought down his tail end smashing it to his brother's face ignoring his howl of pain. "Even the blood in your city is tasteless and disgusting as well as dead! Don't you keep live things here I'm hungry!"

End of part 54

Silvermoonlight.

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